A Few More Bumps in the Road for Talislanta: The Savage Land

I pledged a single $5 pdf option for Talislanta: The Savage Land on Kickstarter.  Despite my love for the setting, I had two concerns towards the actual completion of this project.   First, was the sizable workload on other outstanding Kickstarter that Stewart Wieck had on his plate. Second was the FIVE systems the game was promised to be written for, all with separate hardcopy editions.

The Stewart passed away unexpectedly, and I pushed this project into the near-vaporware status.   Heck, up until this week, I had it slated as the absolute last Kickstarter that would make good, even after the three campaigns I'm in right now... that are still going on!

But this week did bring some updates... and some bittersweet vindication of my opinions.

In a statement to the backers:
"The amount of orders required to justify the expense of printing and creating the Savage Worlds and Pathfinder editions of Talislanta: The Savage Land is unsustainable for Stewart's estate and the future of Nocturnal Media. "

So after careful analysis, they realized the late add-ons weren't financially feasible and will stick the original three promised: Fifth Edition D&D, D6, and the original Tal/OMNI system. That's still an ambitious undertaking, but it's far more realistic to all parties involved. Backers wishing for SW or Pathfinder could either accept a 90% refund, and re-routing the funds to other product offers in the campaign.

So with that out of the what, the layout isn't my personal black and white cup of tea, but it is gorgeous to the demographic that matters.

I pledged a single $5 pdf option for Talislanta: The Savage Land on Kickstarter.  Despite my love for the setting, I had two concerns towards the actual completion of this project.   First, was the sizable workload on other outstanding Kickstarter that Stewart Wieck had on his plate. Second was the FIVE systems the game was promised to be written for, all with separate hardcopy editions.

The Stewart passed away unexpectedly, and I pushed this project into the near-vaporware status.   Heck, up until this week, I had it slated as the absolute last Kickstarter that would make good, even after the three campaigns I'm in right now... that are still going on!

But this week did bring some updates... and some bittersweet vindication of my opinions.

In a statement to the backers:
"The amount of orders required to justify the expense of printing and creating the Savage Worlds and Pathfinder editions of Talislanta: The Savage Land is unsustainable for Stewart's estate and the future of Nocturnal Media. "

So after careful analysis, they realized the late add-ons weren't financially feasible and will stick the original three promised: Fifth Edition D&D, D6, and the original Tal/OMNI system. That's still an ambitious undertaking, but it's far more realistic to all parties involved. Backers wishing for SW or Pathfinder could either accept a 90% refund, and re-routing the funds to other product offers in the campaign.

So with that out of the what, the layout isn't my personal black and white cup of tea, but it is gorgeous to the demographic that matters.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Ballad of the Pigeon God #25 (Talislanta) Rage and the Ravant

The party was still trapped on the world of Talislanta.  Even with the demonstration he had given months before, most had given up hope that their friend(?) Kannex would ever complete the spell and ritual needed to transport them back the Kingdom of Crosedes on their own world.

Norm Dingleberry, Dwarven warrior, had recently rescued his fellow adventurers, Ashe the Ranger, Babette the Thief, and Kane the Cleric from the horrors of a necormancer's stronghold.  He spent most of his time nursing the psyches of his spiritually beaten companions.  With no contact from Kannex and his newest "best friend," Rolf Wolfsblood, having disappeared without warning, it felt like a disaster far greater than any failed mushroom farm he tended to.

He did take a few side treks, smuggling a few gruffans from Silvanus to occupy his little free time. They were low maintenance and most of their meat could be cured into a delicous bacon-like product.

At night, when the screaming finally subsided, he would climb out on the roof of the brothel and stare up at the stars, slowing petting his newest pet, a strange creature known as a Quaal.  Norm had found one in the city-state of Cymril and named him Quaally.

Finally, the barbarian Rolf returned to the brothel, a few more scars on his body, and more Thrall tattoos across the side of his face, now running down his left arm.

Norm lost his shit.

Patrons fled out doors and windows and the working women barricaded their doors, as the dwarf went on a violent, profanity laced tirade against the barbarian (all with an outrageous French accent).

After a few hours, it got quiet, and a few brave souls ventured out to find Norm staring into a half-filled pint on the porch, a Rolf quietly washing off tomato sauce and flour from his body near the well.  This day was never spoken of again.

35th of Jhang, 151 N.A. The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
After missing for months, Kannex made an appearance at the brothel.  He told Norm and Rolf that there is one final item to find, the worst of all:  the sweat of a mythical beast who lives in magical Aberrant Forest within the inhospitable Wilderlands of Zaran.

Rolf then lost his shit, and connected with a haymaker to Kannex's jaw.

Norm pulled the barbarian off of the sorcerer, but not before waiting a full thirty seconds....

42nd of Jhang, 151 N.A.  The Aberrant Forest, The Wilderlands of Zaran
Another windship, under a heavy guard, picked up the duo and flew to the Wilderlands.

When they arrived at the correct place in the forest, they shimmied down ropes through the thick canopy.  Well, Norm did.  Rolf tumbled.. again.

Norm finally got down safely to find the barbarian surrounded by three-foot tall woodmen.  The creatures took them prisoner and took them back to their village.  There, they met a scholar living with the woodmen tribe.  They told him of their odd quest and he outright refused to help, insisting that leave immediately instead of getting hunted down by the "RAVANT."   Norm and Rolf were given food and shelter for the night and ignored his warning, leaving to the following morning to locate the monster.

44th of Jhang, 151 N.A.  The Aberrant Forest, The Wilderlands of Zaran
On the second day of their expedition, the dwarf and barbarian were making camp when the woods went dead silent.  Norm climbed on Rolf's shoulder to see a huge beast with long arms coming at them.  They tossed the knockout powder at the monster, but it didn't even notice it.  It charged at them, knocking over large trees as it persued their flight.  Norm jumped into a bush and it ran past. Rolf managed to keep ahead of it.  The Ravant wasn't necessarily fast, but it seemed relentless and untiring.  Rolf ran a large circle through the jungle and came back to where Norm dove off.

The dwarf whipped out his battleaxe and hit the beast in the shin.

The axe simply lodged in his leg and the Ravant continued to pursue Rolf.

Two laps, Rolf collapsed near the dwarf's hiding spot.  The Ravant loomed over him while Norm burst out of the bushes with a beaker, it was not sweat, but a single drop of blood pooled just outside of it's near-impervious armor, that landed in the glass container.

The monstrosity noticed the dwarf with a quizzical look.  A single drop of sweat formed on its brow and dropped. Norm caught it in the beaker and the blood boiled away.  He corked it and looked at the Ravant one last time as it sneered and punted him over the tree line.

Norm's distraction must have given Rolf a second wind because he got up and ran in the direction of the flying dwarf.    The barbarian was forced to swim across the river to reach Norm, and as he quickly looked over his shoulder, he saw the Ravant, silently surveying the river, but not attempting to enter the moving water.

The duo got to the windship spot, climbed up, and ordered the captain to leave ASAP.

The beaker... and the dwarf, had survived the kick and subsequent fall.

2nd of Laedis, 151 N.A. Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
They arrived back by the brothel to find Kannex, who was setting up an experiment(?) outside of the brothel.  Norm pulled out the Ravant sweat, and Kannex immediately passed out at the mere sight of it.

Norm: "My ass hurts!!!"

DM Notes:  *Spoilers*  There you have it, my friends, enough McGuffins to construct the Super-Voltron-McGuffin to get everyone home.  

The Ravant is an actual creature in the setting, found in Cyclopedia Talislanta III: The Wilderlands of Zaran as well as the 3rd Edition Rulebook.  It's impenetrable, it's unstoppable, and if you can hurt it, it regenerates!   Without the sweat, Kannex would have a chance of failure casting the mass teleport/gate.   The sweat itself is like a magic booster, super-concentrated adrenaline and steroids of the arcane.  

Warning: The next episode is complete filler.  In real time, my Talislanta players took a week off after the events here and we jumped right into what will be episode #29 with the other players, without many questions.  For the sake of the narrative, I'll fill in what actually happened between Kanex fainting and the party returning home and reuniting with the first friend they see.

NEXT #26 - Getting Back is Half the Trip

The party was still trapped on the world of Talislanta.  Even with the demonstration he had given months before, most had given up hope that their friend(?) Kannex would ever complete the spell and ritual needed to transport them back the Kingdom of Crosedes on their own world.

Norm Dingleberry, Dwarven warrior, had recently rescued his fellow adventurers, Ashe the Ranger, Babette the Thief, and Kane the Cleric from the horrors of a necormancer's stronghold.  He spent most of his time nursing the psyches of his spiritually beaten companions.  With no contact from Kannex and his newest "best friend," Rolf Wolfsblood, having disappeared without warning, it felt like a disaster far greater than any failed mushroom farm he tended to.

He did take a few side treks, smuggling a few gruffans from Silvanus to occupy his little free time. They were low maintenance and most of their meat could be cured into a delicous bacon-like product.

At night, when the screaming finally subsided, he would climb out on the roof of the brothel and stare up at the stars, slowing petting his newest pet, a strange creature known as a Quaal.  Norm had found one in the city-state of Cymril and named him Quaally.

Finally, the barbarian Rolf returned to the brothel, a few more scars on his body, and more Thrall tattoos across the side of his face, now running down his left arm.

Norm lost his shit.

Patrons fled out doors and windows and the working women barricaded their doors, as the dwarf went on a violent, profanity laced tirade against the barbarian (all with an outrageous French accent).

After a few hours, it got quiet, and a few brave souls ventured out to find Norm staring into a half-filled pint on the porch, a Rolf quietly washing off tomato sauce and flour from his body near the well.  This day was never spoken of again.

35th of Jhang, 151 N.A. The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
After missing for months, Kannex made an appearance at the brothel.  He told Norm and Rolf that there is one final item to find, the worst of all:  the sweat of a mythical beast who lives in magical Aberrant Forest within the inhospitable Wilderlands of Zaran.

Rolf then lost his shit, and connected with a haymaker to Kannex's jaw.

Norm pulled the barbarian off of the sorcerer, but not before waiting a full thirty seconds....

42nd of Jhang, 151 N.A.  The Aberrant Forest, The Wilderlands of Zaran
Another windship, under a heavy guard, picked up the duo and flew to the Wilderlands.

When they arrived at the correct place in the forest, they shimmied down ropes through the thick canopy.  Well, Norm did.  Rolf tumbled.. again.

Norm finally got down safely to find the barbarian surrounded by three-foot tall woodmen.  The creatures took them prisoner and took them back to their village.  There, they met a scholar living with the woodmen tribe.  They told him of their odd quest and he outright refused to help, insisting that leave immediately instead of getting hunted down by the "RAVANT."   Norm and Rolf were given food and shelter for the night and ignored his warning, leaving to the following morning to locate the monster.

44th of Jhang, 151 N.A.  The Aberrant Forest, The Wilderlands of Zaran
On the second day of their expedition, the dwarf and barbarian were making camp when the woods went dead silent.  Norm climbed on Rolf's shoulder to see a huge beast with long arms coming at them.  They tossed the knockout powder at the monster, but it didn't even notice it.  It charged at them, knocking over large trees as it persued their flight.  Norm jumped into a bush and it ran past. Rolf managed to keep ahead of it.  The Ravant wasn't necessarily fast, but it seemed relentless and untiring.  Rolf ran a large circle through the jungle and came back to where Norm dove off.

The dwarf whipped out his battleaxe and hit the beast in the shin.

The axe simply lodged in his leg and the Ravant continued to pursue Rolf.

Two laps, Rolf collapsed near the dwarf's hiding spot.  The Ravant loomed over him while Norm burst out of the bushes with a beaker, it was not sweat, but a single drop of blood pooled just outside of it's near-impervious armor, that landed in the glass container.

The monstrosity noticed the dwarf with a quizzical look.  A single drop of sweat formed on its brow and dropped. Norm caught it in the beaker and the blood boiled away.  He corked it and looked at the Ravant one last time as it sneered and punted him over the tree line.

Norm's distraction must have given Rolf a second wind because he got up and ran in the direction of the flying dwarf.    The barbarian was forced to swim across the river to reach Norm, and as he quickly looked over his shoulder, he saw the Ravant, silently surveying the river, but not attempting to enter the moving water.

The duo got to the windship spot, climbed up, and ordered the captain to leave ASAP.

The beaker... and the dwarf, had survived the kick and subsequent fall.

2nd of Laedis, 151 N.A. Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
They arrived back by the brothel to find Kannex, who was setting up an experiment(?) outside of the brothel.  Norm pulled out the Ravant sweat, and Kannex immediately passed out at the mere sight of it.

Norm: "My ass hurts!!!"

DM Notes:  *Spoilers*  There you have it, my friends, enough McGuffins to construct the Super-Voltron-McGuffin to get everyone home.  

The Ravant is an actual creature in the setting, found in Cyclopedia Talislanta III: The Wilderlands of Zaran as well as the 3rd Edition Rulebook.  It's impenetrable, it's unstoppable, and if you can hurt it, it regenerates!   Without the sweat, Kannex would have a chance of failure casting the mass teleport/gate.   The sweat itself is like a magic booster, super-concentrated adrenaline and steroids of the arcane.  

Warning: The next episode is complete filler.  In real time, my Talislanta players took a week off after the events here and we jumped right into what will be episode #29 with the other players, without many questions.  For the sake of the narrative, I'll fill in what actually happened between Kanex fainting and the party returning home and reuniting with the first friend they see.

NEXT #26 - Getting Back is Half the Trip

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Ballad of the Pigeon God #23 (Talislanta) The Harbinger of Darkness

41st of Zar, N.A. 150 The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
With most of the household finally recovering from another batch of the "Talislanta Pox," this time a strain of flu that wrecked havoc on the adventurers otherworldly immune systems, a visit by a near-giddy Kannex surprised them all, especially since Rolf and Norm were already out and about, retrieving yet another random regent, ingredient, or knick-knack for their experiment.

"My friends," the Tanasian wizard motioned everyone closer, "I bring you... progress."

He chalked up the main floor of the brothel in strange patterns.  He set up the magic purifiers they had obtained from Silvanus at certain points outside the drawings and placed carved hunks of amber crystalline in between them.  There were candles, somatic components, and even audience participation as Kannex got everyone to chant.

Eventually, a small magical portal, no bigger than a human fist, formed in the middle of the room, about six inches off the group.

"My friends, I have tirelessly researched our predicament since you arrived in Talislanta, I have discovered secrets that have laid dormant since before the fall of the Archaens (which I know you guys have no clue who they were.  Very powerful.  Very long ago.). "

"Look through the portal, and you will see the lot where the Pleasure House stood in Hydincall."

Only one or two people could look at a time, but all were amazed that they could see old leather shop that stood beside the brothel.

"I can transport things between the worlds.  Just not big things, for everyone's safety."

"My biggest delays in this process have been finding ways to get everyone home... safe.  My last two teleports have been done in error, and luckily I survived.  Intentionally recreating the ritual for your return, using the stable Heka levels of my world, requires... amplification and stabilization of what I can do.  Rolf and Norm are already guaranteeing I have enough supplies to conduct it.  I have two more items, and time is of the essence. "

"Deep within the Wilderlands of Zaran, there lies an ancient citadel that once belonged to Kroxous, a necromancer of the Archaen Age.  His mortal form is long gone, but something still resides in there terrorizing man, beast-man, and even devils that wander the wasteland.  If the stronghold is still protected then the Orb of Kroxous still resides within."

"The Orb is what you commoners would call a crystal ball, but from a dimension that even the Shaitan and Demons fear to mention.  Get the orb, and I'll have a way of harnessing enough power to get you home."

Our heroes:
Ashe:  Elven Ranger
Alexi: Sarista Rogue
Kane: Water-Controlling Mystic from the lands far east of Crosedes.
Babette:  Street thief from Hydincall
Darius - NPC - Sarista Rogue, alternating between the alias "Yuri" and his real name.  Interest of lust with Babette

Upon pledging her desire to retrieve the orb, Babette dropped another bombshell: She wasn't suffering from the effects of the Talislanta Pox.  She was pregnant, and suffering morning sickness. Darius (or Yuri, depending on his whim) was the father.

42nd of Zar, N.A. 150 The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
Darius/Yuri could not be found anywhere on the property.  Babette was upset, but still agreed to go on the mission.

43rd of Zar, N.A. 150 The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
Abn Qua was apparently running out of connections, or windships, as the one that arrived to take them, the Flying Erd, left a lot to be desired, both structurally and with its crew.  However, it was quick and small enough to hide from whatever was terrorizing the stronghold.

1st of Ardan, N.A. 151 The Citadel of Kroxous, Wilderlands of Zaran
To celebrate the new year, the Flying Erd finally reached its destination, a large stone fortress that appeared to have fallen in on itself...  The captain landed the ship, allowed our heroes to disembark with very specific instructions.

We will remain aloft over this very spot.  We shall not move unless attacked.  We will only land to pick you up if you return alone.  Any threat, whether a Za raider or a spawn of Tarturus, and I will cut the ropes and come back when it is safe.

3rd of Ardan, N.A. 151 The Citadel of Kroxous, Wilderlands of Zaran

An excerpt from The Nexi of Parallel Worlds by Horotio the Halfblooded (1139 Georic Calendar):

Of the many cross-world forays that I have been able to document, the Assault on the Citadel of Kroxous is one that I have been woefully deficient in obtaining many specific facts.  Four adventurers two male, one female, and a native of unclear gender from that world, pierced the undead defenses and entered the lower levels of the ancient dungeons.  They encountered Kroxous, or what mystical element remained of him, and attempted to seize the Orb of Kroxous for their own needs.  

Except the Orb appeared to be powering an adjacent gate.  As the party got closer, something large and not within the comprehension of mortal man pulled the orb into the gate.  The sight of the being drove two in the party completely mad.  It is documented that the elf known only as Ashe reached through the portal and fought off the entity just enough to bring to orb back to their current dimension.  This heroic effort, and peer into the void beyond, caused his hair to immediately turn white, and possibly a part of his mind, if not his soul, was torn from him.

There is positively nothing mentioned, in written or oral histories, of what happened after the Orb was obtained, although there are later stories of the individuals, so it can be assumed that at least some survived.  

There is also nothing listed in any journal or lexicon within the libraries of man that discusses this event.  I can only rely on the recollection in oral history form that has not been hindered by the years past or the sanity lost from such an event.  I give credence to those words as a researchers despite my obvious bias towards the source.  The woman in the expedition, Babette of Hydincall, was my Grandmother.  She never spoke anymore than what I put down on these pages, but I'm quite certain in my heart and in my mind, that I do not wish to know more....

DM Notes:  This is one of those sessions that has been lost to time.   I remember a small contingent of players, some Cthulhu-esque creature beyond a magical gate, and Ashe's hair turning white while saving someone/recovering something going through the portal.    The saddest part has been that my original notes were long lost, so all I had were the scant memories of the players, and my hazy recollection of a non-TSR module with a hooded figure holding an axe.  

More than three months after receiving the Journal and starting the process to post it onto the blog, a random Google search brought up a different obscure cover of a module I would be using later in the campaign (approximately episode #35 right now).  A little more searching I found the true cover I was misremembering: 

The Harbinger of Darkness by Underworld Games

There's very few mentions of the module, and the minimum price I've found for a copy is $65, so I won't be snagging one up to flesh out the details.  

NEXT #24 - Into the Tombs

41st of Zar, N.A. 150 The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
With most of the household finally recovering from another batch of the "Talislanta Pox," this time a strain of flu that wrecked havoc on the adventurers otherworldly immune systems, a visit by a near-giddy Kannex surprised them all, especially since Rolf and Norm were already out and about, retrieving yet another random regent, ingredient, or knick-knack for their experiment.

"My friends," the Tanasian wizard motioned everyone closer, "I bring you... progress."

He chalked up the main floor of the brothel in strange patterns.  He set up the magic purifiers they had obtained from Silvanus at certain points outside the drawings and placed carved hunks of amber crystalline in between them.  There were candles, somatic components, and even audience participation as Kannex got everyone to chant.

Eventually, a small magical portal, no bigger than a human fist, formed in the middle of the room, about six inches off the group.

"My friends, I have tirelessly researched our predicament since you arrived in Talislanta, I have discovered secrets that have laid dormant since before the fall of the Archaens (which I know you guys have no clue who they were.  Very powerful.  Very long ago.). "

"Look through the portal, and you will see the lot where the Pleasure House stood in Hydincall."

Only one or two people could look at a time, but all were amazed that they could see old leather shop that stood beside the brothel.

"I can transport things between the worlds.  Just not big things, for everyone's safety."

"My biggest delays in this process have been finding ways to get everyone home... safe.  My last two teleports have been done in error, and luckily I survived.  Intentionally recreating the ritual for your return, using the stable Heka levels of my world, requires... amplification and stabilization of what I can do.  Rolf and Norm are already guaranteeing I have enough supplies to conduct it.  I have two more items, and time is of the essence. "

"Deep within the Wilderlands of Zaran, there lies an ancient citadel that once belonged to Kroxous, a necromancer of the Archaen Age.  His mortal form is long gone, but something still resides in there terrorizing man, beast-man, and even devils that wander the wasteland.  If the stronghold is still protected then the Orb of Kroxous still resides within."

"The Orb is what you commoners would call a crystal ball, but from a dimension that even the Shaitan and Demons fear to mention.  Get the orb, and I'll have a way of harnessing enough power to get you home."

Our heroes:
Ashe:  Elven Ranger
Alexi: Sarista Rogue
Kane: Water-Controlling Mystic from the lands far east of Crosedes.
Babette:  Street thief from Hydincall
Darius - NPC - Sarista Rogue, alternating between the alias "Yuri" and his real name.  Interest of lust with Babette

Upon pledging her desire to retrieve the orb, Babette dropped another bombshell: She wasn't suffering from the effects of the Talislanta Pox.  She was pregnant, and suffering morning sickness. Darius (or Yuri, depending on his whim) was the father.

42nd of Zar, N.A. 150 The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
Darius/Yuri could not be found anywhere on the property.  Babette was upset, but still agreed to go on the mission.

43rd of Zar, N.A. 150 The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
Abn Qua was apparently running out of connections, or windships, as the one that arrived to take them, the Flying Erd, left a lot to be desired, both structurally and with its crew.  However, it was quick and small enough to hide from whatever was terrorizing the stronghold.

1st of Ardan, N.A. 151 The Citadel of Kroxous, Wilderlands of Zaran
To celebrate the new year, the Flying Erd finally reached its destination, a large stone fortress that appeared to have fallen in on itself...  The captain landed the ship, allowed our heroes to disembark with very specific instructions.

We will remain aloft over this very spot.  We shall not move unless attacked.  We will only land to pick you up if you return alone.  Any threat, whether a Za raider or a spawn of Tarturus, and I will cut the ropes and come back when it is safe.

3rd of Ardan, N.A. 151 The Citadel of Kroxous, Wilderlands of Zaran

An excerpt from The Nexi of Parallel Worlds by Horotio the Halfblooded (1139 Georic Calendar):

Of the many cross-world forays that I have been able to document, the Assault on the Citadel of Kroxous is one that I have been woefully deficient in obtaining many specific facts.  Four adventurers two male, one female, and a native of unclear gender from that world, pierced the undead defenses and entered the lower levels of the ancient dungeons.  They encountered Kroxous, or what mystical element remained of him, and attempted to seize the Orb of Kroxous for their own needs.  

Except the Orb appeared to be powering an adjacent gate.  As the party got closer, something large and not within the comprehension of mortal man pulled the orb into the gate.  The sight of the being drove two in the party completely mad.  It is documented that the elf known only as Ashe reached through the portal and fought off the entity just enough to bring to orb back to their current dimension.  This heroic effort, and peer into the void beyond, caused his hair to immediately turn white, and possibly a part of his mind, if not his soul, was torn from him.

There is positively nothing mentioned, in written or oral histories, of what happened after the Orb was obtained, although there are later stories of the individuals, so it can be assumed that at least some survived.  

There is also nothing listed in any journal or lexicon within the libraries of man that discusses this event.  I can only rely on the recollection in oral history form that has not been hindered by the years past or the sanity lost from such an event.  I give credence to those words as a researchers despite my obvious bias towards the source.  The woman in the expedition, Babette of Hydincall, was my Grandmother.  She never spoke anymore than what I put down on these pages, but I'm quite certain in my heart and in my mind, that I do not wish to know more....

DM Notes:  This is one of those sessions that has been lost to time.   I remember a small contingent of players, some Cthulhu-esque creature beyond a magical gate, and Ashe's hair turning white while saving someone/recovering something going through the portal.    The saddest part has been that my original notes were long lost, so all I had were the scant memories of the players, and my hazy recollection of a non-TSR module with a hooded figure holding an axe.  

More than three months after receiving the Journal and starting the process to post it onto the blog, a random Google search brought up a different obscure cover of a module I would be using later in the campaign (approximately episode #35 right now).  A little more searching I found the true cover I was misremembering: 

The Harbinger of Darkness by Underworld Games

There's very few mentions of the module, and the minimum price I've found for a copy is $65, so I won't be snagging one up to flesh out the details.  

NEXT #24 - Into the Tombs

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Ballad of the Pigeon God #22: (Talislanta) The Lake of the Prismatic Lotus

Arriving back at the brothel with magic purifiers, random texts, and a dwarf named Norm, the party kicked back and relaxed  without their resident mage.   Norm took over Kannex's room, as it was discovered that the authorities didn't care about a peculiar whorehouse in the middle of a farmer's field, but with the numerous conspiracies involving Tanasian Wizards, Kannex's research raised considerable eyebrows.   Our cast of characters stuck on the world of Talislanta:

Kannex - Tanasian Wizard trying to get an entire building transported back to its proper dimension. Currently in hiding.
Alexi - Sarista gypsy native to Talislanta.
Darius - NPC - Sarista gypsy and agent of Abn Qua.  Going by the alias of "Yuri"
Kane - Monk of eastern mysticism with an odd elemental control of water.
Babette - Urban street thief swept up with the party when they teleported to Talislanta.
Ashe - Elven Ranger, still fighting a bout of Talislanta Pox.
Rolf Wolfsblood:  Bald-headed barbarian from the Plains of Galmar.
Norm Dingleberry - Failed mushroom farming dwarf but surprisingly adept at windship piloting. Arrived separately to Talislanta, by unknown means. Can not speak Trade Common from his world, or Talislanta, just Dwarven.

19th of Zar, N.A. 150  The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
Things had returned to  hurry up and wait mode for the mission, as communications with Kannex became even more sporadic than before.

Upon a routine "patrol" around the farm the brothel had appeared in, Kane, Ashe, and Norm skirted the woods, the humans on foot, Norm riding his pony, Mytomek.  There wasn't much conversation between the mystic, a half-sick elf with "Talislanta Pox" trying to get some air, and a dumb dwarf whose mastery of Low Talislan and Trade Common was a list of words that make schoolchildren blush.

However, today, Norm spied something shiny in a creek running parallel with their path.  He dismounted Mytomek, gestured to the other to follow him and searched the creek.  While his companions watched in cofusion, the dwarf splashed through the cold winter water to find... a long lost silver piece.   He climbed out of the water, and halfway up the creek bank to present his treasure.

"Sonavuab..!!!  *WHAM*"

Norm completely forgot his place on the creek and had come up right behind his pony.  His steed promptly kicked him in the head out of fear, knocking the dwarf unconscious and sending him flying back into the water.  Kane and Ashe did their best to save him and get him back to the brothel post-haste.

Despite their best healing efforts, Norm remained unconscious.  Lucky for him, his helm (and pilot's cap and goggles obtained in the previous adventure that was stretched over it) was quite dented. Without it, Norm may have died.

23th of Zar, N.A. 150  The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
With the group settled in for their normal group breakfast with the ladies of the house, A smiling dwarf came down the stairs and said, "BONJOUR EVERYONE!  I LOVE LE BREAKFAST!" in a bombastic and outrageous French accent.

Everyone just stared at Norm with their mouths agape.  This was the first time Norm had been awake since the accident, and neither his accent, nor his command of Trade Common was usual.

Kane checked out the dwarf again and found nothing wrong with him, save a lump on the head that was quickly healing.

The dwarf was quite jovial, singing songs and dancing with the ladies.  He also inadvertently knocked open Babette's door, displaying the thief and the Sarista gypsy Darius in the midst of mid-morning delight.   Somehow, within a house with two dozen people in it, this pair had managed to hide a pretty hot and heavy affair...

33rd of Zar, N.A. 150 The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
A courier for Kannex finally arrived at the brothel.  Another necessary item was uncovered and the party needed to travel to the southern jungles to obtain a rare purple flower.  Unfortunately, another wave of "Talislanta Pox" had spread through the building and only Rolf and Norm were healthy enough to adventure.

35th of Zar, N.A. 150 The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
The Jade Arcana arrived above brothel, and the barbarian and dwarf boarded from the roof.    The journey would be relatively short, but the captain alerted them of one problem:  The area the rare prismatic lotus grew in was not accessible by windship.  They would need to rappel down into the jungle and climb back up  40-50 feet when they found the it.  Over the next three days, the captain and crew worked with them to teach them the ins an outs or rope use so the operation could continue.

38th of Zar, N.A. 150  Kingdom of Taz
The windship flew into a very hot place, hovered over a tall rainforest, and Norm and Rolf climbed down the ropes.   Norm had become quite adept at working the ropes, but Norm's gigantic stature complicated his descent, and he got loose and fell from twenty feet onto the soft jungle floor.

They immediately were hunted by a pack of flying apes who harassed the windship so much that the Jade Arcana left for the sake of the crew and ship.  Now abandoned for an unknown period of time, our heroes waited for the apes to return, and promptly killed them without mercy.

The jungle was an unforgiving place, with herds of violent beasts forcing Rolf and Norm to climb a few trees and stay fleet of foot.  Norm attempted to catch something in a trap, but after Rolf found him missing for more than an hour, he went out and found the dwarf wrapped up in his own trap.

Rolf:  "Thank Galmar the little man is decent with an axe...  I hope he prays that continues."

39th of Zar, N.A. 150  Kingdom of Taz
In the morning Rolf awoke to the sound of small children screaming.  He dragged Norm out of deep sleep and the two dashed to a small nearby lake.  Small, pale, loincloth-clad children were being eaten by some strange eggplant-shaped creatures with tentacles and sharp teeth. Norm was terrified, Rolf immediately ran to the back of of the creature to attack.

Norm: "He must love children!"

He stabbed the monster once before a tentacle grabbed him, forcing him to drop his Sun-Sword.  He used his dagger, but it ate it right out of his hand.  Rolf ended up punching the tentacle enough to break free.  Norm tried to usher the kids away from the water, but most seemed more shocked by the bearded man. Some ran back into the monster's clutches!

Rolf ended up pulling out the greatsword he had picked up months before in the Cymril marketplace. It was a long fight, but the added weight of the greatsword was enough to not only wound the beast, but eventually kill it.

He reached into the water, recovered his sun-sword and walked out of the water towards the dwarf. The sound of trumpets filled the air.

A company of well-armed Thralls emerged out of the jungle.  The Thralls were one of the major races of the Seven Kingdoms.  A race that was magically engineered by sorcerers long ago to be a warrior slaves, but the sorcerers' destruction allowed them to become their own culture.  Virtually identical at birth, the distinguished themselves with an elaborate series of tattoos on their entire body.  Most Thralls could know another Thrall's history simply by reading their tattoos.

The Thralls took Rolf and Norm prisoner. They marched them to their village and separated them.

A Thrall Warrior

45th of Zar, N.A. 150  Kingdom of Taz
For many days, Rolf was kept in a rather comfortable hut, under constant guard of five of the Thrall warriors.  Eventually he was given his freedom and reunited with Rolf, however, there was something wrong with the barbarian.  He had a constant satisfied grin across his face, and he would occasionally give a hearty laugh when talking with the Thrall.  It might have had something to do with the new tattoo he had received on his face, stretching between his left eye and ear.  It looked very similar to those of the Thrall.

Rolf:  "Norm, These are good, noble people.  They will give you the flower for Kannex, then escort us back to the spot to meet the Jade Arcana."  

48th of Zar, N.A. 150  The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
The duo arrived back to an empty brothel.  They were informed that the another component was found and the rest of the party had gone off to get it.

Norm was happy for the rest, but he was worried about Rolf.  The barbarian had spent the entire journey back staring towards the Jungles of Taz until they disappeared over the horizon, and kept staring to the south after that, grasping his greatsword, the true weapon of the Thrall, with a nervous energy.

DM Notes: As I continue to cobble together these scant notes about Talislanta, certain vital pieces of information, like when Norm got knocked in the head and started speaking Common with a crazy French accent, were never mentioned in the journal.   It took some emails and some gnashing of teeth to corroborate everyone's recollections, but I feel I did this big event the justice it deserves. 

I always use 4d6, removing the lowest die, for character creation, and characters like Norm are a possibility in each campaign.  I wasn't ready for a non-human with a Int low enough to prevent him from speaking Common,  so I may have taken some heavy-handed plot control to keep things going for a character who was otherwise playable.  He already appeared on the world by unknown means (although in his new accent, he would insist that a farmer with a long scarf let him use his privy that was painted blue and *poof* he was in Talislanta.  The knock to head certainly didn't knock any sense into him.  

The encounter with the Thrall was a turning point for Rolf.  Meeting a group of warriors that were the same stature as him, with the same dedication to the martial studies gave Rolf an immediate attachment to them.  It certainly helped his side of the relationship that he single-handedly save the village youngsters from a beast though long-extinct.  Pretty obvious foreshadowing, but Rolf was given an open invitation to return to that village, and that will weigh on his mind.  

NEXT #23 - The Harbinger of Darkness

Arriving back at the brothel with magic purifiers, random texts, and a dwarf named Norm, the party kicked back and relaxed  without their resident mage.   Norm took over Kannex's room, as it was discovered that the authorities didn't care about a peculiar whorehouse in the middle of a farmer's field, but with the numerous conspiracies involving Tanasian Wizards, Kannex's research raised considerable eyebrows.   Our cast of characters stuck on the world of Talislanta:

Kannex - Tanasian Wizard trying to get an entire building transported back to its proper dimension. Currently in hiding.
Alexi - Sarista gypsy native to Talislanta.
Darius - NPC - Sarista gypsy and agent of Abn Qua.  Going by the alias of "Yuri"
Kane - Monk of eastern mysticism with an odd elemental control of water.
Babette - Urban street thief swept up with the party when they teleported to Talislanta.
Ashe - Elven Ranger, still fighting a bout of Talislanta Pox.
Rolf Wolfsblood:  Bald-headed barbarian from the Plains of Galmar.
Norm Dingleberry - Failed mushroom farming dwarf but surprisingly adept at windship piloting. Arrived separately to Talislanta, by unknown means. Can not speak Trade Common from his world, or Talislanta, just Dwarven.

19th of Zar, N.A. 150  The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
Things had returned to  hurry up and wait mode for the mission, as communications with Kannex became even more sporadic than before.

Upon a routine "patrol" around the farm the brothel had appeared in, Kane, Ashe, and Norm skirted the woods, the humans on foot, Norm riding his pony, Mytomek.  There wasn't much conversation between the mystic, a half-sick elf with "Talislanta Pox" trying to get some air, and a dumb dwarf whose mastery of Low Talislan and Trade Common was a list of words that make schoolchildren blush.

However, today, Norm spied something shiny in a creek running parallel with their path.  He dismounted Mytomek, gestured to the other to follow him and searched the creek.  While his companions watched in cofusion, the dwarf splashed through the cold winter water to find... a long lost silver piece.   He climbed out of the water, and halfway up the creek bank to present his treasure.

"Sonavuab..!!!  *WHAM*"

Norm completely forgot his place on the creek and had come up right behind his pony.  His steed promptly kicked him in the head out of fear, knocking the dwarf unconscious and sending him flying back into the water.  Kane and Ashe did their best to save him and get him back to the brothel post-haste.

Despite their best healing efforts, Norm remained unconscious.  Lucky for him, his helm (and pilot's cap and goggles obtained in the previous adventure that was stretched over it) was quite dented. Without it, Norm may have died.

23th of Zar, N.A. 150  The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
With the group settled in for their normal group breakfast with the ladies of the house, A smiling dwarf came down the stairs and said, "BONJOUR EVERYONE!  I LOVE LE BREAKFAST!" in a bombastic and outrageous French accent.

Everyone just stared at Norm with their mouths agape.  This was the first time Norm had been awake since the accident, and neither his accent, nor his command of Trade Common was usual.

Kane checked out the dwarf again and found nothing wrong with him, save a lump on the head that was quickly healing.

The dwarf was quite jovial, singing songs and dancing with the ladies.  He also inadvertently knocked open Babette's door, displaying the thief and the Sarista gypsy Darius in the midst of mid-morning delight.   Somehow, within a house with two dozen people in it, this pair had managed to hide a pretty hot and heavy affair...

33rd of Zar, N.A. 150 The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
A courier for Kannex finally arrived at the brothel.  Another necessary item was uncovered and the party needed to travel to the southern jungles to obtain a rare purple flower.  Unfortunately, another wave of "Talislanta Pox" had spread through the building and only Rolf and Norm were healthy enough to adventure.

35th of Zar, N.A. 150 The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
The Jade Arcana arrived above brothel, and the barbarian and dwarf boarded from the roof.    The journey would be relatively short, but the captain alerted them of one problem:  The area the rare prismatic lotus grew in was not accessible by windship.  They would need to rappel down into the jungle and climb back up  40-50 feet when they found the it.  Over the next three days, the captain and crew worked with them to teach them the ins an outs or rope use so the operation could continue.

38th of Zar, N.A. 150  Kingdom of Taz
The windship flew into a very hot place, hovered over a tall rainforest, and Norm and Rolf climbed down the ropes.   Norm had become quite adept at working the ropes, but Norm's gigantic stature complicated his descent, and he got loose and fell from twenty feet onto the soft jungle floor.

They immediately were hunted by a pack of flying apes who harassed the windship so much that the Jade Arcana left for the sake of the crew and ship.  Now abandoned for an unknown period of time, our heroes waited for the apes to return, and promptly killed them without mercy.

The jungle was an unforgiving place, with herds of violent beasts forcing Rolf and Norm to climb a few trees and stay fleet of foot.  Norm attempted to catch something in a trap, but after Rolf found him missing for more than an hour, he went out and found the dwarf wrapped up in his own trap.

Rolf:  "Thank Galmar the little man is decent with an axe...  I hope he prays that continues."

39th of Zar, N.A. 150  Kingdom of Taz
In the morning Rolf awoke to the sound of small children screaming.  He dragged Norm out of deep sleep and the two dashed to a small nearby lake.  Small, pale, loincloth-clad children were being eaten by some strange eggplant-shaped creatures with tentacles and sharp teeth. Norm was terrified, Rolf immediately ran to the back of of the creature to attack.

Norm: "He must love children!"

He stabbed the monster once before a tentacle grabbed him, forcing him to drop his Sun-Sword.  He used his dagger, but it ate it right out of his hand.  Rolf ended up punching the tentacle enough to break free.  Norm tried to usher the kids away from the water, but most seemed more shocked by the bearded man. Some ran back into the monster's clutches!

Rolf ended up pulling out the greatsword he had picked up months before in the Cymril marketplace. It was a long fight, but the added weight of the greatsword was enough to not only wound the beast, but eventually kill it.

He reached into the water, recovered his sun-sword and walked out of the water towards the dwarf. The sound of trumpets filled the air.

A company of well-armed Thralls emerged out of the jungle.  The Thralls were one of the major races of the Seven Kingdoms.  A race that was magically engineered by sorcerers long ago to be a warrior slaves, but the sorcerers' destruction allowed them to become their own culture.  Virtually identical at birth, the distinguished themselves with an elaborate series of tattoos on their entire body.  Most Thralls could know another Thrall's history simply by reading their tattoos.

The Thralls took Rolf and Norm prisoner. They marched them to their village and separated them.

A Thrall Warrior

45th of Zar, N.A. 150  Kingdom of Taz
For many days, Rolf was kept in a rather comfortable hut, under constant guard of five of the Thrall warriors.  Eventually he was given his freedom and reunited with Rolf, however, there was something wrong with the barbarian.  He had a constant satisfied grin across his face, and he would occasionally give a hearty laugh when talking with the Thrall.  It might have had something to do with the new tattoo he had received on his face, stretching between his left eye and ear.  It looked very similar to those of the Thrall.

Rolf:  "Norm, These are good, noble people.  They will give you the flower for Kannex, then escort us back to the spot to meet the Jade Arcana."  

48th of Zar, N.A. 150  The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
The duo arrived back to an empty brothel.  They were informed that the another component was found and the rest of the party had gone off to get it.

Norm was happy for the rest, but he was worried about Rolf.  The barbarian had spent the entire journey back staring towards the Jungles of Taz until they disappeared over the horizon, and kept staring to the south after that, grasping his greatsword, the true weapon of the Thrall, with a nervous energy.

DM Notes: As I continue to cobble together these scant notes about Talislanta, certain vital pieces of information, like when Norm got knocked in the head and started speaking Common with a crazy French accent, were never mentioned in the journal.   It took some emails and some gnashing of teeth to corroborate everyone's recollections, but I feel I did this big event the justice it deserves. 

I always use 4d6, removing the lowest die, for character creation, and characters like Norm are a possibility in each campaign.  I wasn't ready for a non-human with a Int low enough to prevent him from speaking Common,  so I may have taken some heavy-handed plot control to keep things going for a character who was otherwise playable.  He already appeared on the world by unknown means (although in his new accent, he would insist that a farmer with a long scarf let him use his privy that was painted blue and *poof* he was in Talislanta.  The knock to head certainly didn't knock any sense into him.  

The encounter with the Thrall was a turning point for Rolf.  Meeting a group of warriors that were the same stature as him, with the same dedication to the martial studies gave Rolf an immediate attachment to them.  It certainly helped his side of the relationship that he single-handedly save the village youngsters from a beast though long-extinct.  Pretty obvious foreshadowing, but Rolf was given an open invitation to return to that village, and that will weigh on his mind.  

NEXT #23 - The Harbinger of Darkness

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Ballad of the Pigeon God #21: (Talislanta) The Blue Lotus Clan

Our heroes, travelling across Silvanus in search of the missing windship Solanus-Pon for their patron Abn Qua, and magical purifiers so Tanasian wizard Kannex can get them back home to the Kingdom of Crosedes:

Rolf Wolfsblood:  Bald-headed barbarian from the Plains of Galmar.
Alexi - Sarista gypsy native to Talislanta.  Also returning to Durne.
Darius - NPC - Sarista gypsy and agent of Abn Qua.  Going by the alias of "Yuri"
Kane - monk of eastern mysticism with an odd elemental control of water.
Babette - Urban street thief swept up with the party when they teleported to Talislanta.
Norm Dingleberry - failed mushroom farmer, separately transported to Talislanta, by unknown means

40th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Zanfir
Continuing their  journey on Equs steeds (a pony for Norm), the party discovered a man lying in a clearing.   They discovered that he was a guard that had fallen asleep on the Solanus-Pons when the thieves struck.  Magic and Morpheus powder were certainly used... by Tanasian Wizards

(Kane: Just like Kannex!)

He had remained hidden for a number of day until the finally found him and tossed him overboard. Luckily they were flying low and the trees cushioned his fall.  Kane healed up the sleepy guard and provisions given, and they left him in the clearing.

41st of Talislandre 150 N.A. -  Silvanus Forest
They encountered a wooded marketplace and  found a merchant that dealt in powdered substances, including Morpheus powder.

While the party questioned the merchant on his recent dealing, Alexi was caught stealing from the booth.  The merchant cursed out the group, and promptly pulled his wares into his wagon  locking a swinging door down from the roof.  Alexi and Yuri then started to dance on the roof of the merchant's wagon.  Alexi crashed through the roof onto the merchant. Yuri jumped down to grab a gruffan and threw it down the hole.  The scared animal immediately bit Alexi in the junk.

Junk-Biting Gruffan

Alexi nursed his wound while he opened up the door to the wagon, releasing the gruffan.  They ransacked the wagon, finding a large satchel of diamonds.  Rolf and Babette tied up the merchant, Fardain.  Through Babette's interrogation, Fardain admitted to selling a large shipment of Morpheus powder to the Blue Lotus Clan.  They left the merchant tied up, returned to their steeds and immediately left

44th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Werewood Forest, Silvanus
The party finally located the Blue Lotus Clan.

They were quite pushy asking questions regarding the missing windship.  The Sarista from the clan were still friendly and recommend they talk to the mother of the clan, which required an appointment... and a healthy bribe.

*100 gold lumens later*

The Clan Mother told them that Tanasian Wizards under the guise of the Erythrian Cabal had the windship in question for part of their plans to build a flying city.  She admitted that the Blue Lotus helped them steal the ship, but further they worked alongside them, the more power-hungry the wizards obviously were.

"The Tanasian camp also has the  magical purifiers I've heard you seek.  Stop the cabal, seize the purifiers, recover the ship.  Darius has kept me updated."

44th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Werewood Forest, Silvanus
The Blue Lotus led the party to the outskirts of the Tanasian camp and left them to their devices. They quickly pounced upon the camp, slaying individual wizards and causing general chaos. Creating distractions, they were able to rummage through the scrolls and research throughout the base.   Noticing a group of wizards heading down a side path, Rolf rallied the rest of party to follow them, ultimately leading them to the Solanus-Pon trying to take off.

The group boarded the sky and fought in horrendous combat with desperate sorcerers  The Cabal's leader piloted the skyship into dangerous maneuvers just above the treeline of the Werewood, tossing all the occupants to and fro.

While Kane was using water magic to push wizards overboard, one of the "rogues" finally got a good shot at the Cabal leader and he tumbled away from the helm, sending the windship into a spiral.  In their last few seconds of life, Rolf and Kane slew the leader and braced for a horrible impact.

...that never happened.  Despite getting jostled around, bruised and battered, the windship ultimately was pulled out of the freefall and set to a level course.

Standing behind the helm was a dwarf, bedecked in a leather cap with goggles strapped over his helmet, tongue sticking out the side of mouth, trying to keep the vessel level, and not doing too bad a job of it.

Norm had found a calling greater than mushroom farming.

1st of Zur 150 N.A.  - City-State of Cymril, The Seven Kingdoms
By hidden skill or outrageous luck, Norm managed to keep the Solanus-Pon above ground for a slow journey back to Cymril.  The wizards were turned into Cymrillian authorities, Kannex got his magic purifiers, and Abn Qua worked another mission of the party's into greater fame for the merchant.

DM Notes:  Another adventure with a half-finished journal entry, I did my best to embellish it... realistically.  This is the adventure that proves Norm's usefulness to the everyone, even if it started as complete luck.  This is also where his classic headgear came from, even if it was peculiar to traditional D&D.   

This would be the last adventure with most of the party together.  Late Summer vacations messed up schedules and future scenarios rely of two or three characters to reach the goal.  

Next: #22 - The Lake of the Prismatic Lotus

Our heroes, travelling across Silvanus in search of the missing windship Solanus-Pon for their patron Abn Qua, and magical purifiers so Tanasian wizard Kannex can get them back home to the Kingdom of Crosedes:

Rolf Wolfsblood:  Bald-headed barbarian from the Plains of Galmar.
Alexi - Sarista gypsy native to Talislanta.  Also returning to Durne.
Darius - NPC - Sarista gypsy and agent of Abn Qua.  Going by the alias of "Yuri"
Kane - monk of eastern mysticism with an odd elemental control of water.
Babette - Urban street thief swept up with the party when they teleported to Talislanta.
Norm Dingleberry - failed mushroom farmer, separately transported to Talislanta, by unknown means

40th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Zanfir
Continuing their  journey on Equs steeds (a pony for Norm), the party discovered a man lying in a clearing.   They discovered that he was a guard that had fallen asleep on the Solanus-Pons when the thieves struck.  Magic and Morpheus powder were certainly used... by Tanasian Wizards

(Kane: Just like Kannex!)

He had remained hidden for a number of day until the finally found him and tossed him overboard. Luckily they were flying low and the trees cushioned his fall.  Kane healed up the sleepy guard and provisions given, and they left him in the clearing.

41st of Talislandre 150 N.A. -  Silvanus Forest
They encountered a wooded marketplace and  found a merchant that dealt in powdered substances, including Morpheus powder.

While the party questioned the merchant on his recent dealing, Alexi was caught stealing from the booth.  The merchant cursed out the group, and promptly pulled his wares into his wagon  locking a swinging door down from the roof.  Alexi and Yuri then started to dance on the roof of the merchant's wagon.  Alexi crashed through the roof onto the merchant. Yuri jumped down to grab a gruffan and threw it down the hole.  The scared animal immediately bit Alexi in the junk.

Junk-Biting Gruffan

Alexi nursed his wound while he opened up the door to the wagon, releasing the gruffan.  They ransacked the wagon, finding a large satchel of diamonds.  Rolf and Babette tied up the merchant, Fardain.  Through Babette's interrogation, Fardain admitted to selling a large shipment of Morpheus powder to the Blue Lotus Clan.  They left the merchant tied up, returned to their steeds and immediately left

44th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Werewood Forest, Silvanus
The party finally located the Blue Lotus Clan.

They were quite pushy asking questions regarding the missing windship.  The Sarista from the clan were still friendly and recommend they talk to the mother of the clan, which required an appointment... and a healthy bribe.

*100 gold lumens later*

The Clan Mother told them that Tanasian Wizards under the guise of the Erythrian Cabal had the windship in question for part of their plans to build a flying city.  She admitted that the Blue Lotus helped them steal the ship, but further they worked alongside them, the more power-hungry the wizards obviously were.

"The Tanasian camp also has the  magical purifiers I've heard you seek.  Stop the cabal, seize the purifiers, recover the ship.  Darius has kept me updated."

44th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Werewood Forest, Silvanus
The Blue Lotus led the party to the outskirts of the Tanasian camp and left them to their devices. They quickly pounced upon the camp, slaying individual wizards and causing general chaos. Creating distractions, they were able to rummage through the scrolls and research throughout the base.   Noticing a group of wizards heading down a side path, Rolf rallied the rest of party to follow them, ultimately leading them to the Solanus-Pon trying to take off.

The group boarded the sky and fought in horrendous combat with desperate sorcerers  The Cabal's leader piloted the skyship into dangerous maneuvers just above the treeline of the Werewood, tossing all the occupants to and fro.

While Kane was using water magic to push wizards overboard, one of the "rogues" finally got a good shot at the Cabal leader and he tumbled away from the helm, sending the windship into a spiral.  In their last few seconds of life, Rolf and Kane slew the leader and braced for a horrible impact.

...that never happened.  Despite getting jostled around, bruised and battered, the windship ultimately was pulled out of the freefall and set to a level course.

Standing behind the helm was a dwarf, bedecked in a leather cap with goggles strapped over his helmet, tongue sticking out the side of mouth, trying to keep the vessel level, and not doing too bad a job of it.

Norm had found a calling greater than mushroom farming.

1st of Zur 150 N.A.  - City-State of Cymril, The Seven Kingdoms
By hidden skill or outrageous luck, Norm managed to keep the Solanus-Pon above ground for a slow journey back to Cymril.  The wizards were turned into Cymrillian authorities, Kannex got his magic purifiers, and Abn Qua worked another mission of the party's into greater fame for the merchant.

DM Notes:  Another adventure with a half-finished journal entry, I did my best to embellish it... realistically.  This is the adventure that proves Norm's usefulness to the everyone, even if it started as complete luck.  This is also where his classic headgear came from, even if it was peculiar to traditional D&D.   

This would be the last adventure with most of the party together.  Late Summer vacations messed up schedules and future scenarios rely of two or three characters to reach the goal.  

Next: #22 - The Lake of the Prismatic Lotus

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Ballad of the Pigeon God #20: (Talislanta) Would You Like to Touch My Peaches?

Our cast of Characters navigating the world of Talislanta:

Kannex - NPC - Tanasian Wizard who accidently transported a classic D&D brothel into the world of Talislanta.  Desperately researching a way to get a brothel full of women, the brothel's proprietor, and an adventuring party getting increasingly hostile to him back to their home world, as the adventurers try to obtain the components necessary for such an impressive spell.

Rolf Wolfsblood:  Bald-headed barbarian from the Plains of Galmar. Returning from an arduous journey from the Underground Highway of Durne.

Alexi - Sarista gypsy native to Talislanta.  Also returning to Durne. Suffering odd effects from some toxic material encountered in the side caves of the Underground Highway.

Ashe - highly skilled elven ranger, enjoying the fact that hated elves in Crosedes have pointed ears, just like all the races of men in Talislanta.  Currently recovering from "Talislanta Pox" aka, the Talislanta Rhinovirus.

Kane - monk of eastern mysticism with an odd elemental control of water.  Also returning from Durne.

Babette - Urban street thief swept up with the party when they teleported to Talislanta.  Recovering from Talislanta Pox.

29th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Back at the The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
Babbette was finally feeling better, sitting on the porch, as Rolf, Kane, and Aleix return from their journey.  They said nothing as they walked into the brothel, climbed the stairs, and and initiated the ensuing ruckus occurred near the door to Kannex's room.

A bit later, Rolf emerged out onto the porch.  He sneered at the the useless young thief who had tried to pick his pockets back a lifetime ago in Hydincall.

"We need purifiers from Sylvanus.  Ashe is better, but Kane fell ill on the road back.  You good enough to not get any of us killed?"

Babette nodded.

"Good, we're taking fucking windships from now on.  Abn Qua should be able to afford them."

32nd of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Back at the The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
Packed up and provisioned, the group travelled into Cymril city proper to board the windship Solanus-Pon.  Upon arriving at the windship docks, they discovered that the windship had been stolen while still in Zanfir, along with all the equipment of the mercenaries and guides Abn Qua had hired!  Abn Qua's agent arrived at the scene and offered a handsome reward to investigate the theft (it was Abn Qua's ship, after all.)

Within hours, the windship Silver Moon was procurred to take them to Zanfir.

36th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Zanfir
Silver Moon reached Zanfir just before nightfall, unloaded some cargo, and travelled overnight to Zandria.

37th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Zandria
They party arrived in town and began buying drinks for the breakfast crowd at the taverns, overtly looking for information.  They found out from one of the dockguards it had been a magical theft.  A cloud of morpheus dust rolled in, knockng the guards out.

During lunch a strange character came up to their table and asked "Would you like to touch my peaches."  Most of the party was caught off guard, or misheard the Sarista's question, but Rolf simply sighed and nodded, "No they are quite rotten."

Rolf introduced their cotact in Zandir, Darius, to the rest of the party.

"No kind sir, Darius is a wanted man, You should call me "Yuri!" *OVERTLY OBVIOUS WINK*

"I understand we must go to Silvanus.  The theft of the Solanus-Pons has made travel difficult here, No windship, but I will buy Equs for each of you.  Very easy to ride.

They walked to a local stable together.  "Yuri" spoke with stable owner and handed him a large payment for five Equas, strange reptilian looking horses.

With bit and bridle on each each steed, they rode off.  Yuri glanced back one last time, and pulled a familiar sack of coins from beneath his cloak, "I suggest we leave tonight... immediately."

38th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - On to the road to Silvanus
The Equs proved to quick and reliable steeds.  Rolf even managed a crack a smile with the hijinx and stories of Alexi and Yuri. While resting over lunch, they heard a rustling in some nearby bushes.   Pouncing to action, they encountered a dwarf, much like the ones from their world.  He wiped his nose, leaving a trail of snot on his sleeve.  He extended his hand towards Rolf and said, "Would you like to touch my penis?"

Babette:  "He did say peaches, right. In the language we speak back home?"
Rolf:  "He speaks Trade Common, thief, but he certainly did not say peaches."
Kane:  "NORRRRRRMMMMM!"

It was unsure how he arrived in Talislanta, but the dim-witted Norm Dingleberry had found his way to the forests of Silvanus in Talislanta.  Given that  he had spoken more Trade Common than his entire previous adventure with Kane, the monk was impressed.

Impressed enough that he vouched for him a capable fighter...

Okay, Kane outright lied.  But, he had his own provisions, and his own steed, a weary looking but servicable pony called Mytomek, and seemed eager to adventure.  They washed the snot off the dwarf and everone continued on their way....

DM Notes: We have begun "The Jewel of Fortuna" from the Sarista sourcebook for Talislanta.   Bigger for the party is the sudden addition of Norm Dingleberry, last seen in Episode #14: "The Shattered Circle."  As time and dimensional travelers, they either seem like geniuses or utter morons, and a dwarf nitwit that can barely speak Dwarven, much less Common, fits one of those categories.

NEXT #21 - The Blue Lotus Clan

Our cast of Characters navigating the world of Talislanta:

Kannex - NPC - Tanasian Wizard who accidently transported a classic D&D brothel into the world of Talislanta.  Desperately researching a way to get a brothel full of women, the brothel's proprietor, and an adventuring party getting increasingly hostile to him back to their home world, as the adventurers try to obtain the components necessary for such an impressive spell.

Rolf Wolfsblood:  Bald-headed barbarian from the Plains of Galmar. Returning from an arduous journey from the Underground Highway of Durne.

Alexi - Sarista gypsy native to Talislanta.  Also returning to Durne. Suffering odd effects from some toxic material encountered in the side caves of the Underground Highway.

Ashe - highly skilled elven ranger, enjoying the fact that hated elves in Crosedes have pointed ears, just like all the races of men in Talislanta.  Currently recovering from "Talislanta Pox" aka, the Talislanta Rhinovirus.

Kane - monk of eastern mysticism with an odd elemental control of water.  Also returning from Durne.

Babette - Urban street thief swept up with the party when they teleported to Talislanta.  Recovering from Talislanta Pox.

29th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Back at the The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
Babbette was finally feeling better, sitting on the porch, as Rolf, Kane, and Aleix return from their journey.  They said nothing as they walked into the brothel, climbed the stairs, and and initiated the ensuing ruckus occurred near the door to Kannex's room.

A bit later, Rolf emerged out onto the porch.  He sneered at the the useless young thief who had tried to pick his pockets back a lifetime ago in Hydincall.

"We need purifiers from Sylvanus.  Ashe is better, but Kane fell ill on the road back.  You good enough to not get any of us killed?"

Babette nodded.

"Good, we're taking fucking windships from now on.  Abn Qua should be able to afford them."

32nd of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Back at the The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
Packed up and provisioned, the group travelled into Cymril city proper to board the windship Solanus-Pon.  Upon arriving at the windship docks, they discovered that the windship had been stolen while still in Zanfir, along with all the equipment of the mercenaries and guides Abn Qua had hired!  Abn Qua's agent arrived at the scene and offered a handsome reward to investigate the theft (it was Abn Qua's ship, after all.)

Within hours, the windship Silver Moon was procurred to take them to Zanfir.

36th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Zanfir
Silver Moon reached Zanfir just before nightfall, unloaded some cargo, and travelled overnight to Zandria.

37th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Zandria
They party arrived in town and began buying drinks for the breakfast crowd at the taverns, overtly looking for information.  They found out from one of the dockguards it had been a magical theft.  A cloud of morpheus dust rolled in, knockng the guards out.

During lunch a strange character came up to their table and asked "Would you like to touch my peaches."  Most of the party was caught off guard, or misheard the Sarista's question, but Rolf simply sighed and nodded, "No they are quite rotten."

Rolf introduced their cotact in Zandir, Darius, to the rest of the party.

"No kind sir, Darius is a wanted man, You should call me "Yuri!" *OVERTLY OBVIOUS WINK*

"I understand we must go to Silvanus.  The theft of the Solanus-Pons has made travel difficult here, No windship, but I will buy Equs for each of you.  Very easy to ride.

They walked to a local stable together.  "Yuri" spoke with stable owner and handed him a large payment for five Equas, strange reptilian looking horses.

With bit and bridle on each each steed, they rode off.  Yuri glanced back one last time, and pulled a familiar sack of coins from beneath his cloak, "I suggest we leave tonight... immediately."

38th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - On to the road to Silvanus
The Equs proved to quick and reliable steeds.  Rolf even managed a crack a smile with the hijinx and stories of Alexi and Yuri. While resting over lunch, they heard a rustling in some nearby bushes.   Pouncing to action, they encountered a dwarf, much like the ones from their world.  He wiped his nose, leaving a trail of snot on his sleeve.  He extended his hand towards Rolf and said, "Would you like to touch my penis?"

Babette:  "He did say peaches, right. In the language we speak back home?"
Rolf:  "He speaks Trade Common, thief, but he certainly did not say peaches."
Kane:  "NORRRRRRMMMMM!"

It was unsure how he arrived in Talislanta, but the dim-witted Norm Dingleberry had found his way to the forests of Silvanus in Talislanta.  Given that  he had spoken more Trade Common than his entire previous adventure with Kane, the monk was impressed.

Impressed enough that he vouched for him a capable fighter...

Okay, Kane outright lied.  But, he had his own provisions, and his own steed, a weary looking but servicable pony called Mytomek, and seemed eager to adventure.  They washed the snot off the dwarf and everone continued on their way....

DM Notes: We have begun "The Jewel of Fortuna" from the Sarista sourcebook for Talislanta.   Bigger for the party is the sudden addition of Norm Dingleberry, last seen in Episode #14: "The Shattered Circle."  As time and dimensional travelers, they either seem like geniuses or utter morons, and a dwarf nitwit that can barely speak Dwarven, much less Common, fits one of those categories.

NEXT #21 - The Blue Lotus Clan

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Ballad of the Pigeon God #19: (Talislanta) The Underground Highway

48th of Phandir 150 N.A. - Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril, Seven Kingdoms
Our heroes in the far-off land of Talislanta....

Rolf Wolfsblood:  Bald-headed barbarian from the Plains of Galmar.
Ashe - highly skilled elven ranger, enjoying the fact that hated elves in Crosedes have pointed ears, just like all the races of men in Talislanta.
Kane - monk of eastern mysticism with an odd elemental control of water.
Babette - urban street thief swept up with the party when they teleported to Talislanta.
Alexi - Sarista gypsy native to Talislanta

7th of Talisandre 150 N.A. - The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril, Seven Kingdoms

An agent of Abn Qua finally came by the brothel.  He was quite pleased with the location of the stash they left outside of Tordan and eliminating such a threat courted much favor for the merchant.   Components of Kannex's ritual to send them home had been discovered in the Kingdom of Durne, home of the gnome-kin.

"Gnome-Kin.  Sounds cute." - Kane

After Abn-Qua's representative left, Kane, Ashe, and Babbette all fell ill by a strange illness.  Rolf and Alexi were unaffected, but they had their hands full, as many of Duane's employees suffered the same fate.  Rolf and Alexi sent for Kannex, and tried to handle the epidemic as best as possible.

9th of Talisandre 150 N.A. - The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril, Seven Kingdoms
Kannex finally arrived at the brothel, with Alexi doing a poor job of holding a tired but enraged Rolf back from pummeling the wizard.

Kannex took one look at the symptoms, shook his head, and smiled.
"You know the "sniffles" little Timmy was suffering from back in Eding?  Welcome to the Talislanta version of them.  Our diseases are a bit more... aggressive than your worlds."

He took over tending to the sick and sent Rolf and Alexi to bed.

10th of Talisandre 150 N.A. -The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril, Seven Kingdoms
After a much deserved night of restful sleep, a hearty breakfast, and much needed massages by some of the healthier girls, Rolf , Kane, and Alexi were dispatched by Kannex to obtain Amber Crystalline from a gnome-kin named Yaki-Saban.    Unfortunately, this Yaki-Saban character was deep within an subterranean system of roads properly nicknamed the Underground Highway.  His section of the highway happened to be infested with creatures known as Cho-Krin.  No description of Cho-Krin was provided, although Kannex assured them that they would be easier to fight than the Talislantan Common Cold.

15th of Talisandre 150 N.A. - Kingdom of Durne
At the official entrance of the Underground Highway, they met with their paid gnome-kin guide, Oko. Rolf drew his Sun-Sword to add some extra illumination... and perhaps a sense of reassurance.

The first day into the Underground Highway, they were ambushed by devilish little creatures that reminded them of black-skinned kobolds.  They overwhelmed the barbarian and ran off with his Sun-Sword.  In pursuit of the creatures, the duo got turned around in the caves and even Oko had trouble getting them back to the main road.  One bad turn followed another and again they were ambushed, this time by a squad of large lizardmen, Saurans, Oko called them.

After defeating them, Alexi notice the lizardmen had dark crystals embedded inside their skulls.   While Rolf pondered the implications of the crystals, the glow of his Sun-Sword could be seen behind him and Oko yelped.  By the time  they turned around, Oko was gone, leaving only the darkness.

The trio pressed on, trying to decipher  the marks on the walls that helped travellers navigate the shortcuts and side passages veering off the highway and its spur routes.   The further they travelled , the more Alexi began acting strangely.  At first his psychotic outbursts seemed to scare away being hiding in the shadows, but after a fight with more of the dark kobolds, Rolf turned and found his gypsy companion was no larger than three apples high!

www.johnmsteele.com

Rolf scooped up his now-terrified friend. The action was enough for Alexi to drop the shard of dark crystal still in his hand.  The crystal had shrunk down with him, but after he dropped it, is regained its full size.  A few moments later, Rolf was holding the gypsy in his arms... then promptly dropped him.

16th of Talisandre 150 N.A. - Lost in the Side-Tunnels of the Underground Highway
After a quick rest in a narrow cave, Rolf was ready to move, but was taken aback as Alexi awoke and began to talk and act like Maloran!  This new personality knew everything that had transpired, save the death of Maloran and doubled their efforts to reach the main road.

A few hours later, Rolf tried to talk to Alexi, as Maloran, and was quite befuddled that at some point, the gypsy reverted back to his old accent, old memories, and no recollection of acting as someone else.

For the better part of the day, they wandered the tunnels,  meeting up the dark kobold sword thieves and recovering the Sun-Sword and Oko!    Oko realized they were far out of the gnome-kin patrols and the pushed hard to leave the violent portion of the underworld.

29th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Back at the The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
Rolf, Kane, and Alexi stepped through the door of the brothel.  Some of the sickened woman appeared to be recovering and greeted them in celebration.  Rolf's look made them step back.   The barbarian climbed the steps and reached Kannex's room, knocking open the door with his forearm. He walked up to the seated wizard and dropped a large sack on his desk, scattering the research he was conducting.

"There's your damn Amber Crystalline, wizard.  Don't send us back to Durne."

As the crew gained their faculties back, they still had trouble getting any information out of Rolf. Alexi was more forthcoming, but confused.

"We wandered those tunnels for days.  A few times we encountered beauty, like giant groves of naturally occurring crystals, not those that the gnome-kin grow and tend to.  Most of the time we avoid the breeding carnivorous frog-creatures, and fighting the darklings, or Ka-BALDS, as Rolf calls them."

"Your friend, he looks at me strange now.  Calls me Maloran from time to time.  I think he misses your friend.  I would have like to have met him. We would all have good time."

"Finally... Oko, our guide, got us back on the Underground Highway and pretty soon we to Yaki-Saban's.  Bing-boom-bam, Spinekofpetka! We had the weird bag of amber stuff.  We got out of the tunnels and Rolf demanded a personal room at an inn with a nice view.  I don't think he likes the dark."

DM Notes:  Another half-lost episode, I believe this adventure came from White Wolf Magazine. We only had three players for the session, hence the new plot device of badass Talislanta rhinoviruses knocking everyone out.     

NEXT #20 - The Jewel of Fortuna

48th of Phandir 150 N.A. - Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril, Seven Kingdoms
Our heroes in the far-off land of Talislanta....

Rolf Wolfsblood:  Bald-headed barbarian from the Plains of Galmar.
Ashe - highly skilled elven ranger, enjoying the fact that hated elves in Crosedes have pointed ears, just like all the races of men in Talislanta.
Kane - monk of eastern mysticism with an odd elemental control of water.
Babette - urban street thief swept up with the party when they teleported to Talislanta.
Alexi - Sarista gypsy native to Talislanta

7th of Talisandre 150 N.A. - The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril, Seven Kingdoms

An agent of Abn Qua finally came by the brothel.  He was quite pleased with the location of the stash they left outside of Tordan and eliminating such a threat courted much favor for the merchant.   Components of Kannex's ritual to send them home had been discovered in the Kingdom of Durne, home of the gnome-kin.

"Gnome-Kin.  Sounds cute." - Kane

After Abn-Qua's representative left, Kane, Ashe, and Babbette all fell ill by a strange illness.  Rolf and Alexi were unaffected, but they had their hands full, as many of Duane's employees suffered the same fate.  Rolf and Alexi sent for Kannex, and tried to handle the epidemic as best as possible.

9th of Talisandre 150 N.A. - The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril, Seven Kingdoms
Kannex finally arrived at the brothel, with Alexi doing a poor job of holding a tired but enraged Rolf back from pummeling the wizard.

Kannex took one look at the symptoms, shook his head, and smiled.
"You know the "sniffles" little Timmy was suffering from back in Eding?  Welcome to the Talislanta version of them.  Our diseases are a bit more... aggressive than your worlds."

He took over tending to the sick and sent Rolf and Alexi to bed.

10th of Talisandre 150 N.A. -The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril, Seven Kingdoms
After a much deserved night of restful sleep, a hearty breakfast, and much needed massages by some of the healthier girls, Rolf , Kane, and Alexi were dispatched by Kannex to obtain Amber Crystalline from a gnome-kin named Yaki-Saban.    Unfortunately, this Yaki-Saban character was deep within an subterranean system of roads properly nicknamed the Underground Highway.  His section of the highway happened to be infested with creatures known as Cho-Krin.  No description of Cho-Krin was provided, although Kannex assured them that they would be easier to fight than the Talislantan Common Cold.

15th of Talisandre 150 N.A. - Kingdom of Durne
At the official entrance of the Underground Highway, they met with their paid gnome-kin guide, Oko. Rolf drew his Sun-Sword to add some extra illumination... and perhaps a sense of reassurance.

The first day into the Underground Highway, they were ambushed by devilish little creatures that reminded them of black-skinned kobolds.  They overwhelmed the barbarian and ran off with his Sun-Sword.  In pursuit of the creatures, the duo got turned around in the caves and even Oko had trouble getting them back to the main road.  One bad turn followed another and again they were ambushed, this time by a squad of large lizardmen, Saurans, Oko called them.

After defeating them, Alexi notice the lizardmen had dark crystals embedded inside their skulls.   While Rolf pondered the implications of the crystals, the glow of his Sun-Sword could be seen behind him and Oko yelped.  By the time  they turned around, Oko was gone, leaving only the darkness.

The trio pressed on, trying to decipher  the marks on the walls that helped travellers navigate the shortcuts and side passages veering off the highway and its spur routes.   The further they travelled , the more Alexi began acting strangely.  At first his psychotic outbursts seemed to scare away being hiding in the shadows, but after a fight with more of the dark kobolds, Rolf turned and found his gypsy companion was no larger than three apples high!

www.johnmsteele.com

Rolf scooped up his now-terrified friend. The action was enough for Alexi to drop the shard of dark crystal still in his hand.  The crystal had shrunk down with him, but after he dropped it, is regained its full size.  A few moments later, Rolf was holding the gypsy in his arms... then promptly dropped him.

16th of Talisandre 150 N.A. - Lost in the Side-Tunnels of the Underground Highway
After a quick rest in a narrow cave, Rolf was ready to move, but was taken aback as Alexi awoke and began to talk and act like Maloran!  This new personality knew everything that had transpired, save the death of Maloran and doubled their efforts to reach the main road.

A few hours later, Rolf tried to talk to Alexi, as Maloran, and was quite befuddled that at some point, the gypsy reverted back to his old accent, old memories, and no recollection of acting as someone else.

For the better part of the day, they wandered the tunnels,  meeting up the dark kobold sword thieves and recovering the Sun-Sword and Oko!    Oko realized they were far out of the gnome-kin patrols and the pushed hard to leave the violent portion of the underworld.

29th of Talislandre 150 N.A. - Back at the The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril
Rolf, Kane, and Alexi stepped through the door of the brothel.  Some of the sickened woman appeared to be recovering and greeted them in celebration.  Rolf's look made them step back.   The barbarian climbed the steps and reached Kannex's room, knocking open the door with his forearm. He walked up to the seated wizard and dropped a large sack on his desk, scattering the research he was conducting.

"There's your damn Amber Crystalline, wizard.  Don't send us back to Durne."

As the crew gained their faculties back, they still had trouble getting any information out of Rolf. Alexi was more forthcoming, but confused.

"We wandered those tunnels for days.  A few times we encountered beauty, like giant groves of naturally occurring crystals, not those that the gnome-kin grow and tend to.  Most of the time we avoid the breeding carnivorous frog-creatures, and fighting the darklings, or Ka-BALDS, as Rolf calls them."

"Your friend, he looks at me strange now.  Calls me Maloran from time to time.  I think he misses your friend.  I would have like to have met him. We would all have good time."

"Finally... Oko, our guide, got us back on the Underground Highway and pretty soon we to Yaki-Saban's.  Bing-boom-bam, Spinekofpetka! We had the weird bag of amber stuff.  We got out of the tunnels and Rolf demanded a personal room at an inn with a nice view.  I don't think he likes the dark."

DM Notes:  Another half-lost episode, I believe this adventure came from White Wolf Magazine. We only had three players for the session, hence the new plot device of badass Talislanta rhinoviruses knocking everyone out.     

NEXT #20 - The Jewel of Fortuna

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Ballad of the Pigeon God #18: (Talislanta) Scent of the Beast Part Two

11th of Phandir 150 N.A. - Tordan, Sindar, The Seven Kingdoms
The land ark Ardan arrived at the base of Tordan, which was atop a sixty-foot mesa.
Rolf Wolfsblood:  Bald-headed barbarian from the Plains of Galmar.
Ashe - highly skilled elven ranger, enjoying the fact that hated elves in Crosedes have pointed ears, just like all the races of men in Talislanta.
Kane - monk of eastern mysticism with an odd elemental control of water.
Babette - urban street thief swept up with the party when they teleported to Talislanta.

After waiting for the pulley system to lift them into town, they met a Sarista gypsy named Alexi who claimed to be an associate of Abn Qua. He called them out by name and inquired as to the fate of the missing Maloran.

Alexi!

Aware of the missing medallions arriving back in the Seven Kingdoms, they immediately attempted a full press investigation.  Alexi and Babette got details filled in regarding the black market trade on the borders of the Seven Kingdoms (which they are scant miles from), while the rest got a chance to crash.

Rolf ultimately got lured into an alley and attacked by a number of  dirty assassins, assisted by an Earth Wizard.  The other four arrived just in time to save Rolf, and together they slew all of the attackers, save one filthy assassin from Arim.

They took the Arimite through the back streets to their inn and snuck him up to one of their rooms. Alexi robbed him of his belongings (and pants!) and let Babbette interrogate him.  After Kane healed his wounds, Rolf came in from the other room and was even more violent towards the Arimite.  He broke the assassin's arm in two places, and shattered his collarbone before their captor passed out.  Alexi and Kane dumped the body directly out their second story window into the back alley, but by a streak of horrible luck, caught the attention of a Sindarin patrol.  They probably would not have immediately connected the group had the monk not stared at them directly before diving out of sight.  His silhouette (complete with giant Chinese straw hat) in the window attracted the patrol more the crash in the alley.

The party quickly vacated the inn before the patrol even had a chance to get inside.  They hid out overnight and the following morning, got brand new clothing for the peculiar Kane.

Who knew Kane liked the shirtless vest look... when not wearing plate mail?

12th of Phandir 150 N.A. - Tordan, Sindar, The Seven Kingdoms
Following up their leads and the interrogation of the Arimite Assassin, they sought out a merchant from the distant desert kingdoms named Bey Alera.   Bey told them the Arimites worked with some mysterious figure to move weapons out into the Wilderlands in return for any treasure the Beast-Man can accumulate.  Some sort of action was going on in the Dragon's Head, an ancient ruin some ways outside the cliff-town.

13th of Phandir 150 N.A. - Tordan, Sindar, The Seven Kingdoms
The group staked out the ruins and interupted a exchange by a Tanasian (like Kannex!) and his bodyguards withsome sub-men: a wrinkled and contorted Za Bandit, and a number of beastmen.

Wagons of goods were about to be exchanged.  The party swooped down and ended the meeting with maximum casualties to the enemy.  It appeared that the Tanasian was trading swords and armor to the Za for an assortment of trade goods, spoils of war, and some coins.

The group hid the wagons within the ruins, cut off the heads of the Tanasian and Za and returned to Tordan.

23rd of Phandir 150 N.A. - City-State of Cymril, Seven Kingdoms
The Ardan returned to Cymril.  The party delivered a few particular trinkets as evidence, and the heads of the collaborators.  Abn Qua was please, shocked, and greatly amused by their effectiveness. He handed them a few hundred gold lumens and instructed them to sit tight while he found the items that Kannex requested.

7th of Talisandre 150 N.A. - The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril, Seven Kingdoms

An agent of Abn Qua finally came by the brothel.  He was quite please with the location of the stash they left outside of Tordan and eliminating such a threat courted much favor for the merchant.   Components of Kannex's ritual to send them home had been discovered in the Kingdom of Durne, home of the gnome-kin.

"Gnome-Kin.  Sounds cute." - Kane

DM Notes:  Scent of the Beast was supposed to be the first module of the over-arcing Sub-Men Uprising storyline for Talislanta 3rd Edition.  Unfortunately, some game called Magic: The Gathering distracted Wizard of the Coast from publishing much else in the storyline.  It was a solid module to test the ability of the group, and allowed me to better adjust future encounters.

Alexi is the replacement character for Maloran's player.  Half-gypsy, half-greek, wholly high-energy annoying, the group found him more personable than their fallen friend.    Plus he had the social skills the rest of the group were lacking, particularly in this strange world.

NEXT #19 - The Underground Highway

11th of Phandir 150 N.A. - Tordan, Sindar, The Seven Kingdoms
The land ark Ardan arrived at the base of Tordan, which was atop a sixty-foot mesa.
Rolf Wolfsblood:  Bald-headed barbarian from the Plains of Galmar.
Ashe - highly skilled elven ranger, enjoying the fact that hated elves in Crosedes have pointed ears, just like all the races of men in Talislanta.
Kane - monk of eastern mysticism with an odd elemental control of water.
Babette - urban street thief swept up with the party when they teleported to Talislanta.

After waiting for the pulley system to lift them into town, they met a Sarista gypsy named Alexi who claimed to be an associate of Abn Qua. He called them out by name and inquired as to the fate of the missing Maloran.

Alexi!

Aware of the missing medallions arriving back in the Seven Kingdoms, they immediately attempted a full press investigation.  Alexi and Babette got details filled in regarding the black market trade on the borders of the Seven Kingdoms (which they are scant miles from), while the rest got a chance to crash.

Rolf ultimately got lured into an alley and attacked by a number of  dirty assassins, assisted by an Earth Wizard.  The other four arrived just in time to save Rolf, and together they slew all of the attackers, save one filthy assassin from Arim.

They took the Arimite through the back streets to their inn and snuck him up to one of their rooms. Alexi robbed him of his belongings (and pants!) and let Babbette interrogate him.  After Kane healed his wounds, Rolf came in from the other room and was even more violent towards the Arimite.  He broke the assassin's arm in two places, and shattered his collarbone before their captor passed out.  Alexi and Kane dumped the body directly out their second story window into the back alley, but by a streak of horrible luck, caught the attention of a Sindarin patrol.  They probably would not have immediately connected the group had the monk not stared at them directly before diving out of sight.  His silhouette (complete with giant Chinese straw hat) in the window attracted the patrol more the crash in the alley.

The party quickly vacated the inn before the patrol even had a chance to get inside.  They hid out overnight and the following morning, got brand new clothing for the peculiar Kane.

Who knew Kane liked the shirtless vest look... when not wearing plate mail?

12th of Phandir 150 N.A. - Tordan, Sindar, The Seven Kingdoms
Following up their leads and the interrogation of the Arimite Assassin, they sought out a merchant from the distant desert kingdoms named Bey Alera.   Bey told them the Arimites worked with some mysterious figure to move weapons out into the Wilderlands in return for any treasure the Beast-Man can accumulate.  Some sort of action was going on in the Dragon's Head, an ancient ruin some ways outside the cliff-town.

13th of Phandir 150 N.A. - Tordan, Sindar, The Seven Kingdoms
The group staked out the ruins and interupted a exchange by a Tanasian (like Kannex!) and his bodyguards withsome sub-men: a wrinkled and contorted Za Bandit, and a number of beastmen.

Wagons of goods were about to be exchanged.  The party swooped down and ended the meeting with maximum casualties to the enemy.  It appeared that the Tanasian was trading swords and armor to the Za for an assortment of trade goods, spoils of war, and some coins.

The group hid the wagons within the ruins, cut off the heads of the Tanasian and Za and returned to Tordan.

23rd of Phandir 150 N.A. - City-State of Cymril, Seven Kingdoms
The Ardan returned to Cymril.  The party delivered a few particular trinkets as evidence, and the heads of the collaborators.  Abn Qua was please, shocked, and greatly amused by their effectiveness. He handed them a few hundred gold lumens and instructed them to sit tight while he found the items that Kannex requested.

7th of Talisandre 150 N.A. - The Pleasure House of Duane Alberhold, Cymril, Seven Kingdoms

An agent of Abn Qua finally came by the brothel.  He was quite please with the location of the stash they left outside of Tordan and eliminating such a threat courted much favor for the merchant.   Components of Kannex's ritual to send them home had been discovered in the Kingdom of Durne, home of the gnome-kin.

"Gnome-Kin.  Sounds cute." - Kane

DM Notes:  Scent of the Beast was supposed to be the first module of the over-arcing Sub-Men Uprising storyline for Talislanta 3rd Edition.  Unfortunately, some game called Magic: The Gathering distracted Wizard of the Coast from publishing much else in the storyline.  It was a solid module to test the ability of the group, and allowed me to better adjust future encounters.

Alexi is the replacement character for Maloran's player.  Half-gypsy, half-greek, wholly high-energy annoying, the group found him more personable than their fallen friend.    Plus he had the social skills the rest of the group were lacking, particularly in this strange world.

NEXT #19 - The Underground Highway

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